Rotary printing press



Feb, 4, 11936. 5 T, c HARDY 2,929,565

ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Filed March 14, 1955 Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE ROTARY PRINTING mess Application March 14, 1935, Serial N0. 11,136

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to the well known rotary type of printing press, wherein segmental stereo plates are secured on the rotating cylinder.

In presses of this type it is usual to secure the stereo plates on the cylinder by a plurality of wedge dogs which are positioned to clamp the edges of the plates by adjustable threaded rods on which the dogs are mounted. It is also usual in such presses to provide cam means for retracting the head (or end plate) of the cylinder away from the latter, and to couple the dogs and their mounting rods to such head for the purpose of retracting such dogs as a unit with the head to a position wherein the dogs are clear of the stereo plates to permit the location of the plates on the cylinder, and their removal therefrom.

In use it is found that with dogs mounted as above described, it is a very slow and tedious matter to alter the position of all the dogs on their screwed rods to receive a stereo plate of a different width, as when changing from (say) an eight to a seven column plate. This is particularly so when a battery of presses are used on the same publication, as in newspaper production. Furthermore, it is almost impossible to accurately and uniformly space the dogs when adjusting each by the separate screw means.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved mounting for the dogs, by means of which the change of position thereof, to accommodate plates of diiferent width, may be readily effected in a fraction of the time necessary with the conventional dog mounting. A further object is to provide means by which the spacing between dogs must necessarily be accurately and uniformly set.

In order to describe the invention in detail, reference is made to the accompanying drawing which depicts a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which: I

Figure 1 is a broken perspective view of the dog mounting rod, with the dogs located thereon.

Figure 2 a fragmentary perspective view of an inner dog and locating collar with its associated rod,

Figure 3 a similar View of an outer collar and its associated dog and rod,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation (in part cross-section) of a rotary press cylinder with the dogs located thereon in alternative positions, and

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional elevation taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

The construction illustrated in the drawing shows two alternative positions only of the dogs,

it being understoodthat a greater number of alternative positions may be provided if desired.

The dog mounting rod, indicated generally in Figures 1 and 4 by numeral 5, is continuous and is provided in its central section 6 with screw 5 length-adjustments 6, 6 which are for use only in initially setting the rod correctly in the cylinder 5 i. The ends 7 and 8 of the rod are formed as bearings for the outer end .dog s and the inner double ,dog Ill respectively, which dogs are slidably mounted on these ends of the rod.

A plurality of the rods 5 are mounted in the rotary cylinder ll, three such rods being shown in Figure 4. In the case of each rod 5 the outer bearing section 7 of the rod is located within the 15 outer conventional inverted T recess l2 in the cylinder, the inner bearing section 8 is located within the inner conventional inverted T recess i3, whilst the central section 6 of the rod is located within the conventional bore M in the cylinder joining recesses i2 and I3.

The conventional head l5 of the cylinder H is retractable axially from the cylinder by the usual cam means (not shown) operated by a tool inserted in rotatable nut E6. The outer end of each rod 5 extends from recess 52 into the head it through an aperture ii, and a flange 88 on the rod engages a shoulder is in the head. A coil spring 29 located between the outer face of flange l8 and a disc 2i secured by screws 22, 22 to the outer face of head 55, urges flange l8 of the rod against shoulder IQ of head l5.

It will be seen that with this mounting of rods 5 in head it, axial retraction of the head from the cylinder H by the usual cam means results in a similar axial retraction of rods 5 in their recesses i2 and E3 of the cylinder.

Dogs 9 and W are mounted similarly on each rod. As shown most clearly in Figures 3 and 5, the dog 9 comprises a body 23 formed with a flanged base 2% and an axial bore 25, through which bearing section '5 of rod 5 slidably passes. Mounted on the upper surface of body 23 is an arcuate wedge plate 26 the sides of which overlie the cylinder II (as shown in Figure 5) on either side of recess i2. .The inner edge of plate 26 is undercut at 27 to engage over the edge of the stereo plate 28 (Figure 4) in the usual manner.

A vertically disposed dovetail groove 29 is formed in the forward edge of plate 26. The locating collar 3i) is of thick plate formation with a central U recess 3| extending from its underside, the extremities of the legs 32, 32 so formed being chamfered on all faces, as at 33 and 34.

Each leg 32 is equipped with a spring loaded ball 35 directed into the recess 3|.

The inner face of collar 39, above recess 3!, is formed with a dovetailed tongue 36 adapted to engage in groove 29 of the dog 9.

Dog 9 is slidably mounted on section I of the rod 5, with the body 23 and flanged base 24 of the dog in neat sliding engagement with the walls 01' recess l2 (Figure 5) Collar 39 is engageable with rod 5 the recess 3! engaging either of the spaced annular grooves 31 or 39 formed in section I of the rod, and tongue 36 simultaneously engaging groove 29 of dog 9 to positively locate the latter. Balls 35, 35 retain collar 39 in releasable engagement with the groove 31 or 39 over which it is pressed.

Thus it will be seen that the position of dog 9 on rod 5 is readily adjustable. Collar 39 being disengaged, the dog is slid on section '1 (in recess 12) to a position adjacent either groove 3'! or 38, and collar 38 is then simultaneously engaged with the dog and over the groove to retain the dog in this adjusted position as shown in Figure l. The collar is readily detachable to permit adjustment of the dog to the other position when desired.

The inner dogs I9 are all similar and each has a body 39, flanged base 40 and bore 4!, as in the case 01' dog 9, and this dog It) is slidably mounted on section 8 of rod 5 in recess l3. Mounted on the upper surface of body 39 is an arcuate double wedge plate 42 which overlies cylinder I i and which is undercut on either edge at 43 and 44 to engage respectively the stereo plates 28 and 45 disposed on either side of the plate 42 in known manner.

A detachable collar 45, formed similarly to collar 30 with a U recess 4'! and retaining spring-loaded balls 48, is engageable over either of two spaced annular grooves 49 and 55 formed in section 8 of rod 5 as shown in Figures 1 and 4. This collar 46 does not positively engage dog i0, but serves as an abutment preventing sliding movement of the dog towards the head l5 of the cylinder ll, leaving the dog free to slide on section 8 of rod 5 in the opposite direction, a spring loaded ball 51 in the end of section 8 preventing the dog from accidentally sliding over the end of the rod. It will be noted that collar 46 does not project above the surface of cylinder ll, since stereo plate 28 must overlie this collar.

To alter the limiting position of dog IE it is merely necessary to remove collar 46 from one of the grooves 49 or 50, and replace the same in the other of these grooves.

The invention in use is clearly illustrated in Figure 4. The upper portion of this figure illustrates the use of dogs 9 and H] with wide stereo plates 28 and 45. In this case collar 39 is engaged in the outer groove 31 and so retains dog 9 in the outermost position, whilst collar 43 is engaged with the left hand groove 49, and dog I!) abuts this collar, in this manner adjusting the position of the dogs 9 and ID to that required for the wide stereo plates 28 and 45. Spring loading 26 of the rods 5 ensures that the dogs engage the edges of the plates with the requisite pressure.

It, now, it is desired to adapt the press to narrower stereo plates 52 and 53, shown in the lower portion of Figure 4, it is merely necessary to detach collars 30 and 46, slide both dogs 9 and I to the right on the rod 5, and reengage these collars (as previously) with grooves 38 and 50 respectively. The dogs 9 and [0 will then be in the exact position to engage the narrower plates 52 and 53. Since the necessary movement of dog [9 when adjusted from (say) a wide to a narrow stereo plate is equal to the decrease in the Width of the one plate 35 only, and whereas the necessary movement of dog 9 is equal to the movement of dog plus the said decrease in the width of plate, it is clear that the spacing between grooves 37 and 38 of section 1 is twice that between grooves 49 and 59 or" section 8 of the rod 5.

I'o detach the stereo plates, such as 29 and 45, head !5 is retracted in the usual manner, which causes rods 5, dogs 9 and collars 45 to move to the left in Figure 4, thus freeing plates 28 as dogs I 8 are maintained in contact with plates 45, these latter dogs sliding on the rods 5 for this purpose. Plates 28 are then removed, and dogs it are slid to the left to again abut collars 46, thus freeing plates 45 which are then removed. The reverse procedure is followed to secure the stereo plates on the cylinder l When double width plates (not illustrated) are to be secured on cylinder H, dogs ID are completely removed by sliding the same over the ends of rods 5 (balls 5| depressing for this purpose) and by lifting these dogs out of the usual clearance spaces 52, 52 in the ends of recesses I3.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the objects of the invention, to facilitate the adjustment of the dogs 9 and It] to receive plates of different widths, and to set the spacing between these dogs in an accurate manner, are achieved simply and effectively.

I claim:

1. Improvements in means for securing stereo plates on the cylinder of a rotary printing press, comprising a rod mounted longitudinally in said cylinder in parallelism with the axis of the cylinder, comprising two plate-securing dogs slidably mounted on said rod, a member positively and releasably engageable with said rod in alternative fixed positions, means on said member for positively engaging one of said dogs to secure the same in selected and definite position on said rod, and a second member positively and releasably engageable with said rod in alternative fixed positions and acting as an abutment on the rod for the other of said dogs.

2. Improvements in means for securing stereo plates on the cylinder of a rotary printing press according to claim 1, in which the two members engageable with the rod comprise collars, engageable over annular grooves formed in said rod in the said fixed positions.

3. Improvements in means for securing stereo plates on the cylinder of a rotary printing press, comprising a rod mounted in a longitudinal recess in said cylinder in axial parallelism with said cylinder, a dog slidably mounted on said rod and in slidable engagement with said recess, a plateengaging member mounted on said dog and overlying said cylinder on either side of said recess, a collar positively and releasably engageable in one of several annular grooves formed in said rod, and means for positively engaging said collar with said dog to positively and releasably secure said dog in selected position on said rod and cylinder.

4. Improvements in means for securing stereo plates on the cylinder of a rotary printing press, comprising a rod mounted in said cylinder in axial parallelism therewith, a dog slidably mounted on that end section of the rod adjacent the end of the cylinder and in slidable engagement with a longitudinal recess in said cylinder, a plateengaging member mounted on said dog and overlying said cylinder on either side of said recess, a

collar positively and releasably engageable in one of several spaced annular grooves formed in the said end section of the rod, means for positively engaging said collar with said dog to positively secure said dog in selected position on said rod, a second dog slidably mounted on that end section of said rod remote from the end of said cylinder and in slidable engagement with a longitudinal recess in said cylinder, a double plateengaging member mounted on said second dog and overlying said cylinder on either side of said recess, and a second collar positively and releasably engageable in one of several spaced annular grooves formed in the end section of the rod remote from the said end of the cylinder and forming an abutment on said rod to limit the sliding movement of said second dog on the rod towards the said end of the cylinder.

5. Improvements in means for securing stereo plates on the cylinder of a rotary printing press according to claim 4, in which the spacing between the grooves in that end section of the rod adjacent the said end of the cylinder is double the spacing between the grooves in that end section of the rod remote from the said end of the cylinder.

6. Improvements in means for securing stereo plates on the cylinder of a rotary printing press according to claim l, in which the spacing between the grooves in that end section of the rod adjacent the said end of the cylinder is double the spacing between the grooves in that end section of the rod remote from such end of the cylinder, and including an axially retractable head mounted on this end of the cylinder and in which the end of said rod is secured, for the purpose of axially reciprocating the rod in said cylinder by suitable movements of said head.

'7. Improvements in means for securing stereo plates on the cylinder of a rotary printing press, comprising a rod retractably mounted in the cylinder, a plate-engaging dog slidable without obstruction on said rod, and a detachable collar having means to positively engage with the rod in one of a plurality of fixed positions and to simultaneously and positively engage with the dog, characterized in that the collar is completely detachable from the rod and from the dog.

SYDNEY THOMAS CECIL HARDY. 

